Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1920 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings In the Nearby Cities and Towns—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Localities. WOULD INCREASE PENSIONS House Bill Passed by Senate and Goes to Conference. Washington, D. C., April 23. —The house bill increasing pensions oi civil war veterans to >SO monthly and those of the widows of veterans to >3O monthly was passed today by the senate and now goes to conference. The Increases were provide* to meet the rising costa of living. Senate amendments make the increases applicable to veterans of the Mexican war, who number 215, ahd widows of veterans, who number 1,576, and also to the widows of veterans of the war of 1812, of whom 73 are living. The present average pension of veterans Is >87.50. The Measure will add about >65,> 250,000 to the present pension roll of >214,000,000. Congressional leaders said this was the last general legislation planned in behalf of the veterans of the civil and Mexican wars. Last June there were 271,520 civil war veterans and 336,375 wid owe and dependents on the pension rolls. Besides the general pension of >SO monthly the bill provides pensions up to >9O monthly for disabled veterans.